This August, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, Gooding & Company, will offer a perfect example of everyone’s favorite Ford. It’s beautifully restored, historically significant, and also a feast for the eyes.
But this isn’t just any GT40: the AM GT-1 is one of just two aluminum bodied GT40s ever built, making it incredibly hard to come by. In 1963, Ford Motor Company began developing an endurance racing car to beat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
To do this, they employed Alan Mann Racing, which is where the red and gold liveries on this car come from. In 1965, Alan Mann set out to make the most competitive version of a GT40. That said, he employed aluminum bodywork, which reduced considerable weight and made the car very, very zippy.
At last, in 1966, the A GT-1 was completed, featuring a highly tuned 289 V-8 engine, five-speed ZF transaxle, Halibrand knock-off wheels, and more than 100 updates over the standard Mk I competition car. Notably, at the Le Mans Test in April 1966, it was the fourth fastest car. After its brief yet bold racing career, this race track veteran passed through the hands of several key collectors.
The current consignor acquired the AM GT-1 in 1982 after it had been damaged in an accident. From then on, they restored the car to its original glory, with help from Bob Ash in Georgia. Over a 15 year meticulous restoration, the car now looks the same as it did at the 1966 Le Mans, even down to the race number “16.”
Such a marvelous restoration has been awarded with a Second in Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, a nearly perfect score at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals, and a special Le Mans award from the Shelby American Automobile Club.
After 40 years in the hands of one dedicated owner, AM GT-1 is being offered for public sale for the first time, ever. Run, don’t walk, to register to bid, if owning a piece of racing history is your type of thing.
The Pebble Beach Auctions Dates: Friday, August 13, at 5 p.m. PDT, and Saturday, August 14, at 11 a.m. PDT Location: Pebble Beach Parc du Concours Public preview: Wednesday, August 11, through Saturday, August 14 Auction catalogues: $100, includes admission for two to the viewing and the auction General admission: $40, includes admission for one to the viewing and the auction Live auction broadcast: www.goodingco.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/GoodingandCompany Twitter: @goodingandco #goodingpebble Instagram: @goodingandcompany #goodingpebble YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/GoodingandCompany Phone: 310.899.1960
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